Maria Antonia Walpurgis of Bavaria

What people wore

Practical Working Clothing and Headwear

Maids wore practical working clothes like shorter skirts, loose bodices, and aprons to move freely while doing heavy chores, while women of all statuses typically wore hair caps for protection and fashion.

Getting around

Difficulties of traveling on Prussian roads

In the 18th century, travel in Prussia was notoriously difficult due to poor roads, with some passengers joking that they could have walked faster than the carriage. A coachman could even abandon a passenger on the road if the passenger struck them or complained too aggressively.

At the table

Typical Diet of Ordinary Families

Ordinary families ate a regular daily diet consisting primarily of milk soups, bread with butter or fat, and simple vegetable or fish stews. Meat was a rare luxury usually reserved for Sundays or special occasions.

Music

Fiddlers earned Nickelgrosken at village celebrations

Fiddlers were central to village life and were paid for their services at weddings and parties with small coins known as Nickelgrosken.

Daily life

Simple and Frugal Home Interiors

Homes often had low ceilings, whitewashed walls, and floors made of stone or brick that were covered in sand. Rooms were sparsely furnished, and houses frequently lacked clocks, making time-keeping and domestic life simple and frugal.

Work

Working day hours and duration

During summer harvest, Frondienst labor requirements could last from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week. In other seasons, work hours were strictly regulated, ranging from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. in spring and autumn, to 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in winter.